The Tale Of The Va
by ColdGoldLazarus
Summary: Six suspiciously Bohrok-like strangers arrive in Metru Nui just as it's heroes leave, arousing suspicion and distrust... And it may well be warranted. AU, in need of a Beta, T to be safe.


Prologue

Six small, insectoid bipedal beings scuttled along a narrow path carved into a cliff face; the light from fires below casting disproportionate shadows on the rock wall to their side. The leader wore red leather armor; swiftly leaping over even the slightest pebble in the path; it was very energetic and took any opportunity to move. In one claw, it clutched a staff with a carving of a spit of flame at the end. It's head, which resembled nothing so much as a flat disk, swiveled as dark blue, wedge shaped eyes studied the surroundings.

The others that trailed behind it were similar in overall build, but their demeanors and some minor physical differences set them apart.

Immediately behind the red one was a being with just as much energy, though this one wore green armor and instead of a staff, carried two extremely thin, sharp swords, swinging them around every once in a while as it's red eyes roved the land ahead for potential threats.

Lagging considerably behind those two were the other four; an arrogant seeming brown being with a hammer and dark green eyes, a jet-black one that had piercing yellow optics and huge digging claws instead of hands, a snow-white bipedal that carried two ice picks and looked about curiously with icy light blue eyes, and lastly, a blue, streamlined being with orange eyes, a friendly demeanor, and a sharp hook-like weapon.

They were representatives of the Bohrok Swarms, reporting to the Bahrag twins, the queens of the swarms. Recently, an unknown power had blocked off the psychic links between the queens and the Hordes, so the minuscule Va breed had had to add 'messenger' to their list of duties.

But in addition to that, these six had an even more important task: they would participate in the awakening of the new Bohrok-Kal. One could argue that there was no need to have them, as there were no more threats to the Bahrag, but the queens had decided that it was better safe than sorry, and that had only been reinforced by the recent mental blockage, so now the six Va each carried a softly pulsing, gently glowing Karana-Kal. Soon, the Bahrag would have a backup plan in case of disaster, in the form of the independent elites.

That was why the Va were now traveling this cliff path, ignoring the Tahnok swarm on the rocks below them, working together to send a wet copse of trees into flame. They ignored the gentle tropical breeze that brushed by them, somehow getting through the scorching air rising from the fiery bohrok, ignoring the way the ocean sparkled and the stars twinkled across the night sky, ignored the seeming trail of light the moon blazed onto the water.

That was irrelevant clutter, to be cleaned away like everything else. Instead, they focused on the fact that they had finally found an entrance to the underground tunnel system surrounding the Hive, and plunged fearlessly into the dark. The Karana shed their own light, illuminating the rough-hewn walls and packed-dirt floor.

Several minutes later, they illuminated a fork in the path. The right tunnel, which would normally lead directly to the Hive, was blocked off by a rock fall.

While this was certainly an inconvenience, the Va weren't idiots. The Nuhvok Va of the group, handing it's Karana-Kal to the one in front of it, squeezed past the others and began using it's longer claws to start shoveling the dirt away. However, this quickly proved futile, as massive clods of dirt fell from further within the tunnel to block up the holes made by the Bohrok.

This was no longer a simple inconvenience, but again, the Va weren't idiots. The Tahnok Va gestured with it's fire staff, and the digger reluctantly fell back into place as the line continued on through the other opening.

They passed through several other splits, all of them with one side blocked off. While (it stands to be repeated once more) the Va weren't stupid, but neither did it occur to them that they were being herded.

At least not until they found themselves entering a large metal chamber, with many other paths branching off, and with a pool of some unfamiliar silver liquid in the center. Sensing a trap, the Tahnok-Va signaled for a retreat, but it was too late. With a roar, the earth rose in a wave behind them, pushing them forward and dumping them unceremoniously into the vat of energized protodermis. The Karana-Kal gave one last angry hiss before the chamber went silent. Deadly silent.

With deliberately slow motions, a small, black-armored being entered the chamber where the Va had met their end. It grinned triumphantly behind a broken mask, exalting in the fact that some of his powers still worked, even belittled as he was, forced to possess the corpse of some unlucky Onu-Matoran miner. He could still deny his brother's will with acts like this, and by blocking the Bohrok swarm's communications. He smiled and laughed.

Then he abruptly stopped, frowning. Some remnants of the Matoran's mind must be messing with him. How could he be content with something so small, when once he had plotted to dominate universes?

He growled and walked away, disgusted with his own newfound lack of ambition. It was fortunate that he did, otherwise he would have seen something shocking. A small hand, wearing a red leather glove, splashed out of the liquid and grabbed the edge of the pool. Soon after, the rest of the creature followed, blue eyes glaring around, red disk-head held up in prideful anger, the other claw clutching a yellow-hued Karana-Kal.

Inexplicably, the Va had survived.

And they had changed.


End file.
